The day before starting college in January 2014, Lily received news that her dad, who was still in her hometown in Mexico, had been kidnapped for ransom by a local cartel. Her family was asked for 50,000 pesos, which she says is the equivalent of $3,000, but shortly after, she got a call that her dad was found but that he was not alive.

A true daddy’s girl, Lily says her world came crashing down, so she threw herself into work but working at a bar and being surrounded by alcohol led Lily down a dark path. Realizing that drinking was costing her respect and her business, she decided to be the person that her dad raised her to be. It’s been three years but Lily says the pain has scared her to not trust easily but she’s working on being strong. Hopefully she can find comfort within her new 9Mag family at the shop this season.